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[Pasedo]

Curious as to what others in here use to get a competitive edge in the brain power department. I find particularly in work situations that if you're not on your game others will take advantage of this and try to take you down. The corporate world is quite ruthless. Its very much a playing ground for our animalistic nature. When you show weakness others will try and take you down in a game of survival of the fittest. Hence why I feel you need to always be on point and on your game. Caffeine is always my go to and in the past couple of months I've been taking it with L-theanine which in combination helps improve focus and negates some of the usual side effects of caffeine. Also last couple of days I'm giving Alpha Brain a try. Early days obviously but I'll report how it's going in about a week. Keen to hear what others are using that helps give them a boost in focus and motivation, particularly in a work environment.

 

[Lrnex]

The importance of consistently getting enough quality sleep time can’t be overstated. It’s something that’s often neglected but it’s foundational to so much of your overall health and performance.

 

[Cravis]

Adderall. Dead serious. I’m prescribed it of course.

 

[triplestation]

naturally, fitness

 

[Mr Nash]

My brain really fired on all 8 cylinders when I smoked cigarettes. Apparently nicotine is a nutropic. I haven't smoked in years, but always wondered if there was a way to harness the productivity I enjoyed as a smoker.

 

[Pasedo]

My brain really fired on all 8 cylinders when I smoked cigarettes. Apparently nicotine is a nutropic. I haven't smoked in years, but always wondered if there was a way to harness the productivity I enjoyed as a smoker.

I've read about this. Have you tried just taking nicotine tablets to see if it gives you the same effect?

 

[paparazzo]

Had to stop taking it, but N-acetyl cysteine. It helped me with focusing and drowning out obsessive negative thoughts; even cut down on my allergies. It gave me migraines though with the two different brands I tried, but ymmv.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Ashwaganda root for proper cortisol downregulation. Combine with turmeric and ground black pepper.
Lion's mane (and other mushrooms too) for nootropic effect.
Loose-leaf GABA oolong. The caffeine, L-theanine, antioxidants, and GABA are like a whetstone for the brain.

 

[zeroFiveNine]

I am subscribed to Alex Jones' Infowars Brain Force Plus, The Real Red Pill Plus and Super Male Vitality.

 

[MaestroMike]

Real whole foods, especially plant foods and a quality Ninja blender and seed grinder. Only supplements I take: vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc that I blend into my smoothies. Good quality fats as well are important for brain health especially the omega-3s.

 

[Pasedo]

I am subscribed to Alex Jones' Infowars Brain Force Plus, The Real Red Pill Plus and Super Male Vitality.

Do you need a prescription for that? Had a look at its ingredients and it seems like it's all natural. Curious if I can order it in Australia without a prescription to give it a try.

 

[Pasedo]

Do you need a prescription for that? Had a look at its ingredients and it seems like it's all natural. Curious if I can order it in Australia without a prescription to give it a try.

Oh never mind. You said subscribed not prescribed lol

 

[West Texas CEO]

 

[Tesseract]

just water, l-t / c, weed, sometimes lsd

i could go crazy with chemistry if i wanted, kinda bores me

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

I suppose the best thing to do is not to sabotage your brain

So get good sleep, eat healthy, drink water, don't drink booze, don't fall on your head, don't consume social media, don't consume fucking prescribed opiods.

Also physical health is really underestimated.
Take some online classes in logic and math and such.

I'd be wary of overclocking the brain with all sorts of chemicals.

 

[Turnt]

naturally, fitness

Some people want the quick answer they can buy online rather than put the work in to stay fit.

 

[bati]

Physical exercise (both weight lifting and cardio), proper nutrition, going to sleep at a reasonable hour and getting 8h of uninterrupted sleep. Works like a charm.

 

[Woo-Fu]

Hubris. I don't have to be smarter than everybody else in the meeting, I just have to think I am. They'll fall in line.

Want an example? Look at Trump and the Republican party.

 

[Greedings]

If someone sells you something meant to make you smarter, it’s just snake oil.
Sleep and exercise are the only things proven to increase any cognitive function.

focus is different. Caffeine is the standard and legal way to do it.

 

[Birdo]

Tik Tok compilations.

 

[Coolwhhip]

Delete all social media.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Ashwaganda root for proper cortisol downregulation. Combine with turmeric and ground black pepper.
Lion's mane (and other mushrooms too) for nootropic effect.
Loose-leaf GABA oolong. The caffeine, L-theanine, antioxidants, and GABA are like a whetstone for the brain.

So this is how you were able to get to #1 on the GAF list

 

[Ballthyrm]

1. Better Sleep : get yourself a room without any screen, good fresh linen washed at least weekly, make your bed, sleep whatever long you need but at fixed hours as close to a fixed schedule as you can manage, don't drink alcohol 2 hours before going to sleep.
2. Better Nutrition: eat at regular fixed interval at a table around your family if you have any, take the time to cook from fresh ingredients and prepare your meal, good for mental health, good for your body.
3. Exercice: exercice regularly, doesn't matter how much as long as it's regular and often.
4. Go outside: enjoy the country side or parks or nature or whatever, you can't be that mentally fit if you spend your whole life surrounded by concrete buildings.

5. Delete all social media.

   
   
6. Take breaks: real ones, not connected to internet, let the boredom fill you with existential dread, let your brain hit the reset button.

As with everything the best stuff can only be earned and not bought.

 

[DKehoe]

Take breaks: real ones, not connected to internet, let the boredom fill you with existential dread, let your brain hit the reset button.

This is a good one. These days it's so easy to constantly be stimulating yourself with something. Getting comfortable with doing nothing and being ok with boredom is good to give yourself some down time.

 

[and 3 others]

Hubris. I don't have to be smarter than everybody else in the meeting, I just have to think I am. They'll fall in line.

Want an example? Look at Trump and the Republican party.

Those pesky Republicans that we've had to deal with the last 2 years...

 

[synchronicity]

Fasting and meditation. Quiet body/quite mind - keen insight and focus.

Consistent practice will give better results, of course.

I'll second some of the other recommendations like sufficient sleep, vitamin D and good exercise as well.

And the following in particular.

(and other mushrooms too)

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Nothing gets me neurons firing quite like the blood of my enemies

 

[hariseldon]

Get a sub to chess.com - it’s brilliant.

 

[teezzy]

I drink a lot of coffee. Also pushups to get my blood flowing.

 

[longdi]

coq10 vitamin d and regular exercise.
i looked like still in my twenties.

 

[badblue]

Could always give Alpha GPC a spin.

Oral supplementation of alpha-GPC is of interest for nootropic purposes, as it appears to have cognitive-enhancing properties (no human evidence exists to support this in otherwise-healthy youth, but it does have support in rodents) and attenuate the rate of cognitive decline in the elderly. In regards to reducing the rate of cognitive decline, alpha-GPC at high doses (1,200 mg) does appear to be somewhat effective in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and works nicely with the standard therapy (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors).

I've been giving it a try and I feel sharper and more focused at a daily 300mg dose.

 

[Omega Supreme Holopsicon]

Coffee, and magtein( magnesium L-threonate), seem to help brain function.

Fasting and meditation. Quiet body/quite mind - keen insight and focus.

I agree, fasting seems to put the brain in high gear.

 

[Tesseract]

i've kept busy every day since i was a kid, no days off or vacations

work out, code, music, mental math exercises, level design, modeling / animation, documentaries and lectures, drawing, piano, whatever

grind and drink lots of water, there's not much else to it

 

[Fushitsusha]

Semen.

 

[Faenrir]

No drug will make you smarter.

Nothing gets me neurons firing quite like the blood of my enemies

What about seeing them driven before you and hearing the lamentations of their women, though ?

 

[synchronicity]

i looked like still in my twenties.

When - in your 20's?

 

[justAjohn]

I know it´s just an anecdote, but in my second day in dry fast I was so effortlessly focused I realised how long one day can be and how much can one do.

 

[Fushitsusha]

What about seeing them driven before you and hearing the lamentations of their women, though ?

 

[godhandiscen]

i've kept busy every day since i was a kid, no days off or vacations

work out, code, music, mental math exercises, level design, modeling / animation, documentaries and lectures, drawing, piano, whatever

grind and drink lots of water, there's not much else to it

Damn dude. I am about to sit down to code, and your post reminded of how strict I used to be with myself years ago. I used to have a schedule like yours for about 5 years until I met my current girlfriend. Spending time with her made me realize that I should be optimizing for being happy and a lot of the extreme things I used to do didn’t make me happy. I have tone down a lot, but I am still a huge workaholic and consider myself a maker first, but now I definitely don’t do anything unless I am confident it contributes to my happiness.

Do you feel your schedule aligns 100% with your happiness?

Pasedo the ability to focus is key, so you should start with that. While you cannot make yourself smarter, you can improve the environmental conditions that will allow you to succeed. Look into focus techniques such as pomodoro, to begin with.

Planning and note taking is another big one. All of the best performers I’ve met have complex planning and note taking methods. Our brains have limited capacity, think of notes as a way to enhance your memory buffer. Make your notes as navigable as possible, make them useful.

Rest and a good diet is the last fundamental. Your brain will be at its best when you reduce your sugar intake, down to the lowest possible you can tolerate, are properly hydrated and have had enough rest. Again, the best performers I know, don’t fuck around and take care of themselves like professional athletes.
I’d say those are the fundamentals, the rest are meta techniques that are only worth exploring if you have mastered the fundamentals.

 

[Ceallach]

I use the Onnit Total Human supplements, included is Alpha Brain which seems to do well for me.

But I also have a healthy diet, workout a lot, practice Muay Thai, and make sure I get plenty of sleep.

 

[rykomatsu]

Books?

Edit: Sarcasm aside

• knowing what you are talking about - this gives you authority when you speak
• being precise with what you are saying - this prevents "gotchas"
• always taking ownership for your decisions and mistake - this makes it impossible for people to blame you for stuff you didn't do (since you become known as someone with a strong constitution)

Also, 2 cans of monster ultra every week day probably helps

 

[Tesseract]

Damn dude. I am about to sit down to code, and your post reminded of how strict I used to be with myself years ago. I used to have a schedule like yours for about 5 years until I met my current girlfriend. Spending time with her made me realize that I should be optimizing for being happy and a lot of the extreme things I used to do didn’t make me happy. I have tone down a lot, but I am still a huge workaholic and consider myself a maker first, but now I definitely don’t do anything unless I am confident it contributes to my happiness.

Do you feel your schedule aligns 100% with your happiness?

cracking skulls and fucking girls keeps me happy

i almost never see friends or family tho, there's a cost

if i ever settle with a girl and have kids, i'll probably go even harder

 

[godhandiscen]

cracking skulls and fucking girls keeps me happy

i almost never see friends or family tho, there's a cost

if i ever settle with a girl and have kids, i'll probably go even harder

Yeah, I also didn’t use to see my friends or family, and that was fucking with my mental health. A couple years ago, I decided to apart myself from the office, bought a house away from San Francisco, and moved my parents with me. Props to you if you can continue doing it. I just couldn’t continue pretending I gave a shit about succeeding at the Silicon Valley game.

 

[Soleil rouge]

Physical exercise (both weight lifting and cardio), proper nutrition, going to sleep at a reasonable hour and getting 8h of uninterrupted sleep. Works like a charm.

I'm seriously impressed with anyone who can get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

 

[synchronicity]

I know it´s just an anecdote, but in my second day in dry fast I was so effortlessly focused I realised how long one day can be and how much can one do.

I wouldn't overdo dry fasting. (There are limits obviously.) But as long as you're getting enough water and proper electrolytes, fasting can go on very long, depending on your body and health issues.

As with most things, take the time to inform yourself, and more than anything - listen to the body.

 

[Faenrir]

I'm seriously impressed with anyone who can get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

I'm impressed with people that survive sleeping like 5 or 6 hours tbh.
I feel like i'm losing so much time sometimes...

 

[Greedings]

I'm impressed with people that survive sleeping like 5 or 6 hours tbh.
I feel like i'm losing so much time sometimes...

pretty sure at least one “short sleeper gene” has been found.
7-9 is pretty normal, but there are undoubtedly a few people who can survive and thrive on less.
very jealous, I wish I slept less, although even with 8 hours I don’t make 100% use of it. Too much fucking around on my phone.

 

[Tesseract]

I'm seriously impressed with anyone who can get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

same, i sleep around 4 / day with nightmares on the regular

I'm impressed with people that survive sleeping like 5 or 6 hours tbh.
I feel like i'm losing so much time sometimes...

you aren't, enjoy your sleep and keep your sanity

 

[rykomatsu]

same, i sleep around 4 / day with nightmares on the regular

On business trips, with jet lag, I end up sleeping maybe 1hr a night. It then all catches up on the weekend - unless I'm on the plane...then I get 0hrs of sleep, even OD'd on ambien due to anxiety...sucks

4-5hrs normally for me - the day sucks, but I can (purportedly) function fine though it doesn't feel like it

 

[Pasedo]

Thought I should provide an update on my current routine. I've been taking alpha brain instant form in the last week. Plus I switched to organic caffeine tablets 100mg with 200mg l theanine. On someone else's recommendation I thought I'd start Gaba. Additionally I've also been running a few days in the week. I must say my focus definitely has improved. I find I can stick to things and be less distracted. Also my thoughts are clearer and it's easier to express thoughts into words. There's also a gaming benefit. Being more focused means I enjoy gaming more. I'm just much more immersed in the game and feel like I get more from it.

I'm still keen to hear from others what works for them.